One in three parents fear losing their homes as cost of living pressures bite
Nearly one in three parents fear being made homeless as cost of living pressures spiral, grim research reveals today.
A report by the charity Barnardo's found 30% were worried about losing their homes, while half (49%) of parents struggle to keep their home warm for their children
More than one in seven (16%) parents said their children have had to share a bed with them, their partner or a sibling during the winter months, because they cannot afford to replace broken and soiled bedding.
Nearly one in four (23%) have struggled to put food on the table for their families as household bills rocket, the YouGov poll of 1,010 adults revealed.
Despite Government help with energy bills, parents still reported skipping meals or eating their children's leftovers, limiting baths and keeping the heating turned off.
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Soaring rents have also led to some families being forced into temporary accommodation, the charity said.
Nearly one in four adults is struggling to put food on the table (Getty Images)Around half of parents (49%) grapple with the heart-breaking fear that their kids are missing out on a normal childhood because of the cost of living crisis.
Barnardo’s Chief Executive Lynn Perry said: "Families who once had to choose between heating or eating are now worried about providing warm beds for their children or losing their homes altogether."
She added: "Children and young people were hit hard during the pandemic and many are now missing out on the basics."
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt must use next week's Budget to extend free school meals to all primary children in England, the charity said, or kids living in Universal Credit households as an absolute minimum.
An estimated 800,000 needy children currently miss out on free dinners due to strict eligibility rules.
EastEnders legend Michelle Collins joined campaigners from Barnardo's to deliver a free school meals petition to No10 last week, which has been signed by more than 32,000 people.
The Mirror and the National Education Union (NEU) are calling for free school meals for all pupils in England's primary schools, in line with commitments in Scotland and Wales.
Barnardo's also called for a review of Universal Credit to link the benefit to inflation and a total ban on forced instalments of pre-payment meters.
Rosamund McNeil, Assistant General Secretary of the National Education Union, said: “The findings of this report are really concerning and show a neglect of the interests of children within policy making. The cost-of-living crisis follows the pandemic, which significantly worsened child poverty in the UK. The Government’s measures to date to combat this are inadequate. That almost a quarter of parents polled are struggling to feed their children should force policy change, immediately."
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She said that policy choices are "locking people in poverty", adding: “Free school meals for all children in primary schools would put money back in parents’ pockets and is an effective way to tackle child hunger. We hope the Government will listen to the majority of parents and commit to funding free school meals for all children in primary schools.”
A Government spokesperson said: “We recognise the pressures families are facing due to the rising cost of living, which is why we’re providing up to £1,350 of direct, targeted support to millions of vulnerable households in 2023-24 and uprating benefits by 10.1% in April.
“Our Household Support Fund continues to help families with essential costs and we remain committed to helping families at risk of homelessness – over half a million households have been prevented from becoming homeless or supported into settled accommodation since 2018.
“Since 2010, the number of children receiving a free meal at school has increased by more than two million thanks to universal infant free school meals and protections for parents moving to Universal Credit. Our further investment in the National School Breakfast Programme also extends it for another year, backed by up to £30 million.”
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